Dual Enrollment: Postsecondary and/or Secondary Credit Earned

This database indicates whether students in dual enrollment programs earn high school and postsecondary credit, only postsecondary credit, or only high school credit.

Why does it matter?

Some critics contend that dual enrollment courses without an end-of-course assessment have no measure to ensure that the level of rigor matches that of traditional postsecondary courses.

Similar criticisms relate to dual enrollment courses that are offered on postsecondary campuses but serve primarily high school students.

Highlights

Twenty-six states specify that dual enrollment students earn both high school and postsecondary credit.

One state requires only high school credit to be awarded.

Four states require only postsecondary credit to be awarded.

In six states, the type of credit awarded (high school, postsecondary, or dual credit) varies depending on the state program in which a student is enrolled.

Thirteen states do not specify in state policy whether secondary or postsecondary credit is awarded upon completion of a dual enrollment course. Some of these states explicitly require the high school or district and/or postsecondary partner to determine whether students will be eligible for secondary and/or postsecondary credit.

Methodology: This information was collected from state statutes, rules and regulations, and state education agency Web sites, and will be updated as new policies and programs are enacted.

Last updated: December 2, 2008

This database was compiled by Jennifer Dounay, project manager, ECS High School Policy Center. For questions, additions or corrections: 303.299.3689 or jdounay@ecs.org.

Postsecondary and/or secondary credit earned

Alabama

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Alaska

Not specified

Arizona

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Arkansas

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For dual enrollment courses

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For concurrent enrollment courses

California

Not specified

Notes/Citation: Awarding of high school and/or college credit to be determined by the student's school district and community college district governing boards.

Colorado

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For Fast Track

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For Postsecondary Enrollment Options: However, high school credit may be denied by the high school principal and if denial is upheld by the local board on the basis that high school credit is inappropriate.

Connecticut

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: Local or regional boards may (but are not required to) award high school credit for dual enrollment courses.

Delaware

Secondary and postsecondary credit

District of Columbia

Not specified

Florida

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Georgia

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Hawaii

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Idaho

Not specified

Notes/Citation: At the time a student enrolls in a course, the student must indicate whether the course is being taken for secondary, postsecondary, or dual credit. A student taking several courses may designate some for secondary credit, some for postsecondary credit and some for dual credit.

Illinois

Not specified

Notes/Citation: The determination of whether a community college course is offered for concurrent high school and college credit must be made at the secondary level, according to the school's policies and practices of the district.

Indiana

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: Postsecondary Enrollment Program: A student completing an approved course receives high school credit. The contract between a district and institution must establish the terms and conditions under which secondary and postsecondary credit will be awarded.

Notes/Citation: A local board may but is not required to award high school credit for concurrent enrollment coursework.

Kentucky

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For "dual enrollment" students

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For "dual credit" students

Louisiana

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For TOPS Tech Early Start

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For Early Start

Not specified

Notes/Citation: For traditional dual enrollment. The postsecondary institution and partnering high school determine whether the student will earn high school, postsecondary or dual credit.

Maine

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: District may choose to award secondary credit.

Maryland

Not specified

Notes/Citation: Districts may award high school credit; postsecondary credit policy not specified.

Massachusetts

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Michigan

Not specified

Notes/Citation: Both programs: When a student enrolls in a postsecondary course, the student must designate whether the course is for high school or postsecondary credit, or both.

Minnesota

Not specified

Notes/Citation: Students designate at the time of enrollment whether a course will be applied toward secondary or postsecondary credit. A student enrolling in multiple courses may designate some for high school and some for postsecondary credit. However, a district must
award credit to a student "enrolled in a course for postsecondary credit if secondary credit is requested by the pupil."

Mississippi

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Missouri

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Montana

Not specified

Notes/Citation: Statute provides that the interlocal agreement must specify whether a student may earn both high school and college credit. In practice, courses may be for dual credit or college credit only.

Nebraska

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: Statute relating to student fees states that students receive high school credit and "may also choose to apply for postsecondary" credit. Distance learning statute defines a dual enrollment course as one in which the student earns both high school and postsecondary credit.

Nevada

Secondary credit

Notes/Citation: Each district identifies the courses for which students may earn high school credit, but districts must allow some dual enrollment courses to count toward high school graduation requirements.

New Hampshire

Not specified

New Jersey

Secondary and postsecondary credit

New Mexico

Secondary and postsecondary credit

New York

Not specified

North Carolina

Postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: Huskins and Concurrent Enrollment: Districts may award credit but are not required to do so

North Dakota

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Ohio

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For Seniors to Sophomores

Not specified

Notes/Citation: For Post-Secondary Enrollment Options: A student may elect to earn only high school credit, only postsecondary credit, or postsecondary and high school credit.

Oklahoma

Not specified

Oregon

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Pennsylvania

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Rhode Island

Not specified

Notes/Citation: However, Dual Enrollment Subcommittee of the Governor's PK-16 Council is developing a memorandum of understanding between the state's higher education and K-12 commissioners to serve as a guarantee that high school students who enroll and complete a pre-approved college course will also earn credit towards high school completion.

South Carolina

Secondary and postsecondary credit

South Dakota

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Tennessee

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Notes/Citation: For students in "dual enrollment" program. "Joint enrollment" students receive either high school or postsecondary credit.

Texas

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Utah

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Vermont

Secondary credit

Notes/Citation: For technical program: Programs must "provide an opportunity for" the student also to receive postsecondary credit, but it is not clear in policy that high school and postsecondary credit are automatically awarded.

Not specified

Notes/Citation: For VSC Dual Enrollment Program

Virginia

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Washington

Secondary and postsecondary credit

West Virginia

Secondary and postsecondary credit

Wisconsin

Not specified

Notes/Citation: A student intending to enroll in a postsecondary course must notify the district of such intent. This notification must indicate whether the student is taking the course for high school or postsecondary credit. If the student is taking the course solely for postsecondary credit the costs are the responsibility of the student. Courses taken for high school credit also earn postsecondary credit.

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